


I'll stay sleeping (cause I know when I wake there's only silence)

by Skywalkin_on_Haters



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Christmas AU, F/M, While You Were Sleeping AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-09 03:55:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16442525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skywalkin_on_Haters/pseuds/Skywalkin_on_Haters
Summary: Lonely transit worker Rey saves her longtime crush from the path of an oncoming train. At the hospital, doctors report that he's in a coma, and a misplaced comment from Rey causes his family to assume that she is his fiancée. When Rey doesn't correct them, they take her into their home and confidence. Things get even more complicated when she finds herself falling for his adopted brother, Poe.





	I'll stay sleeping (cause I know when I wake there's only silence)

Fall has always been her favorite of the seasons. However, it’s gone before you can really get used to it. The wind changes from brisk to bitter and winter grasps ahold of everything. Fall can be vibrant and ephemeral, while winter is harsh and seemingly endless.

Chicago in winter is by no means desolate. There’s still plenty going on, and most people seem to carry on just as before. But for Rey, she can’t help feeling the cold more deeply in her bones as loneliness takes ahold of her. Working in the ticketing booth of the L contributes to the feeling, given the increase of the automation of her job and people’s growing lack of awareness. However, it pays her well and she can study while she works. It even is almost enjoyable on the rare occasion her shift overlaps with Finn. There also happens to be one additional bright spot to her otherwise mundane routine.

She doesn’t know anything about him really, not even his name. He’s handsome no doubt, despite all the black he wears—lots of expensive, well-cut suits on a lean yet broad frame. Rey assumes he’s probably a lawyer or has some high-powered job in finance, but she could only make educated guesses at this point. The extent of their conversations is the occasional “Good morning” or the polite “Thank you”, always one-sided and always him speaking. The best she can manage is a stiff nod and a smile that she thinks comes off more like a grimace.

He always seems to catch her off-guard, her hands clammy as she grabs for his ticket and her stomach in knots. One of these days she’ll muster up the courage to speak to him, Rey reassures herself. But for the time being she buries her embarrassment and spends the rest of her work hours reading her textboxes and fantasizing a thousand other scenarios, creating perfect interactions in her head. They’re distractions from the mundanity of her real life, her wish for something exciting. And centering these fantasies on a handsome stranger isn’t going to hurt anyone, right?

It’s a particularly cold winter morning just like the last few mornings as winter digs its heels into the city. Though Rey supposes this morning should feel different, as it is Christmas. Her coworkers had requested the day off to spend it with their families and while Finn had invited her to spend the day with Rose and him, Rey didn’t want to take away someone’s day with their family and she could always use the extra pay. So, she finds herself sitting in her booth again, lost in her thoughts. Rey is slowly drifting off as she’s seen all of two people ride the L today, when she sees a blur of black and a mop of hair to match approaching her box.

She sits up suddenly, the blood rushing to her head causing her eyes to go unfocused before settling on her mystery man. He slides his ticket through the opening in the glass and she manages a smile in acceptance before staring down at the ticket. He lingers far longer than usual and when Rey chances a glance up, sees his mouth half-quirked. “Merry Christmas,” he says simply and starts toward his usual platform. A strangled noise worked its way out of her throat as she follows his shape as he moves further out of sight.

“Merry Christmas”  
“Nice coat”  
“How about them Cubs?”  
“Will you marry me?”  
“I love you”

All of these were better alternatives to her actual response. It must take real skill she thinks to make a complete and utter fool of herself when given such a perfect opportunity to finally meet. She will probably be mourning this well into the New Year.

Rey chances one last glance towards him before his train arrives and he takes off, surely to spend the day with his family and loved ones, while she’ll spend the rest of the day in her glass box. Just as she’s about to turn her eyes away and surrender herself further to self-pity, two men approach him from the rear.

With his over six-foot stature, most people would think twice about giving this guy a hard time. But desperation leads people to do crazy things. As one of the guys tugs on his briefcase, the other holds onto his lapels, shaking him thoroughly. As if in slow motion, the man takes a step back, his foot tipping over the edge of the platform. His assailants release him while his arms swing behind him, looking for purchase, something to grab on that isn’t there.

Rey had worried that if presented with this type of scenario, she would be frozen. Instead, she leaps into action. She runs towards the trio, managing to trip one of the thugs as they try to run from their mistake. Instead of trying to subdue him further, she focuses her attention on the more pressing matter—this man, the center of her daydreams, is lying ten feet below her, prone across the train tracks. She tries to get his attention, checking his alertness, but knowing next to nothing about him results in her repeating “Sir” over and over again.

Rey debates whether she should run back to her booth to grab her cell phone and call 911, when a honk in the distance alerts her to a brand new problem. She looks up the track towards the Express train that is quickly approaching them.

Without much second thought, Rey carefully sits on the edge of the platform and launches herself onto the tracks. She doesn’t have much time, but she checks to see if he’s responsive. She leans her hands on his chest and tilts her head towards his face to see if he’s breathing. She can’t help noticing how firm he feels underneath her hands, but then curses herself for not focusing on the nearly imminent danger. He doesn’t stir, but at least he’s breathing.

With the honk of the train sounding much closer than before, Rey searches around her, seeing if anyone is able to lend a hand in this dire situation. The platform appears empty, and given how many times she’s sized him up, he will not be easily moved.

The conductor of the Express takes notice of them and the screeching of the brake fills the station, but Rey knows that there is not enough time. She chances a glance beside her and her heart thuds when she notices the opening safely below the platform and out of the way from the turns of the wheels. She can feel the heat of the engine on her face when she fists his lapels and uses all of her strength to flip them over and roll into the gap.

Almost instantaneously, the train hurtles past them and Rey harshly lets go of a breath she did not realize she had been holding.

She turns her eyes from the train to quickly scan his body for any injuries. She’s inspecting the bloody cut slicing through his eyebrow, when his eyes open. They are blearily and unfocused as they stare up at her, when just as quickly they are rolling upwards and his body goes limp beneath her.

She thinks she can hear the faint sound of sirens.

**Author's Note:**

> I've loved this fandom for years, but this is my first time posting! Please let me know what you think! I have some other stuff in the works, but let me know if you'd like to see anything else!


End file.
